Monthly Archives: August 2012

“I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Mark 10:15

Simple faith does not mean simplistic faith. Christianity can be complex; for example, our full understanding of the Godhead three in one, will not happen this side of heaven. There will always be a mysterious shroud around the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is why simple faith in Him is necessary to receive the revelation of His truth found in the Holy Bible.

Jesus made it simple when he described becoming like a little child in order to enter into His Kingdom. Small children can clearly see simple truths because they are unencumbered by the complexities of adult living. Because of their humility and honesty they are able to listen to the Lord’s teachings about sinful man and our need for a Savior. For a child, loving Jesus is an opportunity to be loved. They can easily accept God’s gift of His only son, Jesus, for their salvation. Thus, childlike faith in Christ is your bridge to God.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him” (John 3:16-17).

Don’t miss meeting the Lord in simple faith because of the pain or problems you have encountered in this world. There is no lasting peace to be found on earth. Jesus said, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Your part is to confess faith in Jesus Christ and His part is to forgive you of your sin and give you eternal life in heaven. The Bible teaches, “That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved” (Romans 10:9-10).

Prayer: Have I simply placed my faith in Jesus Christ for the salvation of my sins? Have I made public my confession through baptism and engagement with a community of believers?

“Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs” (Proverbs 10:12).

True love forgives, regardless of the infraction, because it transcends mistreatment. So, what is your process for forgiveness? Is it conditional, based on the way you are treated, or is it unconditional? Hatred has no hope but to stir up dissension and rally a defense. However, love looks at being wronged as an opportunity to replace insult with encouragement. Love seeks to lead all parties into a better place of health and happiness.

Indeed, hatred is not at home in a heart of love. It sows discord, while love plants peace. It embraces enmity, while love cuddles compassion. Hate stirs up, but love calms down. How do you handle those who are hard to be around? Perhaps out of love you serve them. Seek to serve, rather than be served.

“Through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 NASB).

Furthermore, love forgives because you have been forgiven by the matchless love of God. It is the Lord’s love toward you that empowers you to lovingly forgive another. Human love alone is unable to love without boundaries. Left to our own limited love, we only love those who love us. Jesus said, “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much” (Matthew 5:46 NLT).

Therefore, look at love as an opportunity to give others what they don’t deserve. Lean on the Lord as your source of unconditional love. Christ’s love is all-inclusive and all-forgiving. In the same way, actively and appropriately love those in your life; with a kind word, a nice note of appreciation, a thoughtful gift, or a listening ear. How do you harness love into a habit of forgiveness?

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NLT).

Prayer: Whom do I need to love, forgive, and serve in honor of God’s great love?

I don't claim to be a Biblical scholar. I do not claim to be an authority on doctrine or theology but I do know that in my 18 years of being a Christian and reading the Bible I am yet to find someone who was a "superstar" because of their association with Jesus. Yes, some of them had notoriety, but it always turns to rejection by the world. Yet, in today's "Christian" world we strive to be accepted by the world and to have notoriety and well.. to be superstars. I have been guilty of this too...but why? Why do I crave the acceptance of the world? Why do I long for the world to hold me in high esteem? Now, before you start your comment back to me about how we are to "love the world" and how I am being "judgmental" read the rest of my post and then decide if you feel that way.

I lived in the world. I rolled around in the filth, loneliness, anger, hatred, abuse and bitterness of the world. I would go to church as a teenager with my Grandpa and curse out the youth pastor and tell everyone at the youth meeting that they were morons for following Jesus. I took pride in being against Jesus. I believed that God existed I just made the choice to not be on His side. I know the desperation of wanting to be loved but being so caught up in sin that it blinds you to the truth. I am grateful that in my rock bottom homeless days on the streets of Detroit that God spared my life. I still do not know how, other than God spared it. I remember quite clearly the decision made to give my life to Jesus. I think about it often. I remember the rejection I got from some of the people I used to hang out with. I remember the feeling of not having a "friend" in the world. I was changed.

I worked very closely with the homeless community after giving my heart to Jesus. I would give them food and a drink and then tell anyone who would listen what Jesus had done for me. There were times when people would listen. I even prayed with a few to accept Jesus as their savior. But there were many who would laugh at me or threaten me and I would be rejected. Only Jesus could actually be given "superstar" status, if you will, in the Bible. I mean, He came to earth, born of a virgin, was the son of God and preformed miracles. People would flock to wherever He was. They would walk for days to hear him speak. Yet, in the end..He was rejected by those very same people. Truth is... when we give our hearts and lives to Jesus we WILL be rejected by the world. That's the way it is supposed to be. Actually, we are too, to reject the world...not reject the PEOPLE..but the world. Jesus spoke quite plainly when asked what someone needed to do to follow Him.. He said:

Mark 8:34-35 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it."

So I ask you again... why are we seeking notoriety. If we are denying ourselves as Jesus said we need to do, then why are we so self centered in our pursuit of a "ministry" a "career" a ...fill in the blank? It is scary when I take inventory of my life when this is the measuring stick I am to use.

Don't be confused.. I LOVE the people who are in the world. I love them so much that I don't want to just be their friends and have them like me I want them to know that Jesus LOVES them and that He died for them. It is cruel to "in the name of love" not share the truth of Jesus with people. It is cruel to say "I am not going to judge" No one said you were called to judge. No one gave you that responsibility.. you are COPPING OUT. Don't judge... share Jesus in Love.

Personally, I am daily asking God to scrub out of me anything that keeps me from this calling on my life. Dying to self is a hard (understatement of the century) process, but I can't be filled with Jesus if there is any "self" left. I want to be filled by Him. I want to share more of Him with others. I want "my" life to be fully His. I long to have people say of me when I am gone.. She loved Jesus.

“Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.” 1 Thessalonians 4:9

God the Father is a tender teacher of truth to His children. God the Son, Jesus, is a teacher who taught with clarity and authority when He walked on earth. And God the Holy Spirit is a teacher who reveals to the heart of humans the hidden secrets of heaven. Indeed, followers of Christ have access to the Almighty’s academic understanding of His ways. Wise servants of the Lord stay enrolled in His school for a lifetime of learning.

If we cease to learn from God, we cease to grow in our faith and obedience. We remain a student as we remain in Him. We learn the language of heaven as we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit’s promptings in our heart. We comprehend Christ when we first receive Him, by faith, into our life, as we study His life, and as we seek to emulate His example.

“It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard the Father and learned from him comes to me.” John 6:45

The Lord’s lessons are learned by a series of tests. Sometimes we are surprised by a pop quiz of trust. Other times we face an extensive exam on suffering. Or, it may be the daily opportunity to attend Christ’s classroom of obedience where we grow in our understanding of the ways of God. We can skip class in our own strength, or we can stay disciplined to the process of surrender to the Spirit’s filling. Humility looks to always learn from God.

Yes, some lessons are harder to learn than others. But wise are we to stay engaged in seeking to understand so that we can grow in grace. A lesson learned invites other options, but refusing to accept God’s truth keeps us stuck in our stubbornness. Yet, as we learn from Jesus, our soul becomes humble, gentle and restful under His intoxicating influence.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29

Love is the Lord’s primary lesson plan. The principles of love begin at the elementary level of loving God and progress to the graduate course of loving your enemies. How well do you love? Are you learning from Jesus how to love like Jesus? Your curriculum in love includes: Unconditional love, brotherly love and romantic love. Therefore, be thorough in your studies of Christ. You get an A+ when you learn and apply His truth.

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24